Israeli Airstrikes Intensify in Homs Countryside
Recent reports from the official Syrian news agency have highlighted a series of Israeli airstrikes in the Homs countryside, particularly targeting the Qusayr area. The Syrian media described these actions as an "Israeli aggression," noting that air defenses were engaged in intercepting hostile targets over western Homs. The strikes reportedly hit several locations, including Shinshar, Al-Daf Bridge, Al-Qusayr, and the Al-Dabaa checkpoint.
On November 11, an Israeli airstrike targeted a gathering of Lebanese arrivals in the Shamsin area, which temporarily disrupted traffic on the Homs/Damascus international road. Local sources indicated that this raid aimed at an ammunition depot linked to Hezbollah in Shinshar, although there were no immediate reports of casualties.
This escalation follows a recent Israeli airstrike in the Sayyida Zeinab area, south of Damascus, which resulted in the deaths of seven civilians and injuries to twenty others. Since the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011, Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes targeting Syrian government forces, Iranian positions, and Hezbollah operatives. The frequency of these attacks has notably increased in recent weeks, coinciding with heightened tensions in the region, particularly following the escalation of the Israeli-Lebanese conflict since September 23.
Israel's military operations have increasingly focused on areas near the Syrian-Lebanese border, aiming to disrupt Hezbollah's transfer of military equipment from Syria into Lebanon. The ongoing strikes have raised concerns regarding civilian safety, especially as they have frequently targeted residential areas in Damascus and Homs.
